AMN / WEB DESK
An Ahmedabad special court has deferred the hearing for the pronouncement of the quantum of punishment in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts case today. Now, the further hearing in this case will be held on Friday, 11th February.
Earlier, after the court met today, the defense counsel demanded 3 weeks time for the pronouncement of quantum of punishment. The defense counsel appealed to the court to look into the education and other backgrounds of the convicts before pronouncing the quantum of punishment and give chance to improve them.
At the other end, the government counsel termed the serial blast case an act of terror and demanded the strictest punishment to the convicts. The special judge A.R. Patel asked the defense counsel to produce all the documents related to convicts in the court by tomorrow and defer further hearing in this case on Friday.
Earlier, the court had convicted 49 persons in 2008 Ahmedabad serial blast case, which had claimed 56 lives and left more than 200 injured. In his verdict yesterday, the special judge A.R. Patel acquitted 28 accused, giving them the benefit of doubt. Those who were held guilty include Safdar Nagori, Javed Ahmed and Atikur Rehman.
The 49 accused were convicted under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Explosive Substances Act and the Damage to Public Property Act.
The special public prosecutor Amit Patel said that the convicts can attract a maximum punishment of death or imprisonment for life, however the prosecution will seek capital punishment for some of them.